Illustrations | Lulu Liu

#FashionScoutAW15

Illustrations by @billieblue_designs 

BACKSTAGE | Lulu Liu

Some gorgeous backstage fun at Lulu Liu, #FashionScoutAW15

 

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COLLECTION | Lulu Liu

Chinese designer Lulu Liu opened the shows at Freemason's Hall this morning with a collection that was equal parts fresh and retro. Taking inspiration from the phrase "Play Design", Liu's collection explored "the line that is walked between self-actualisation and self-restraint."

As the house lights went up, Liu revealed a collection that was full of basic a-line silhouettes in the form of culottes, drapey tops, pencil skirts, capes and trench coats. The twist came in the form of the zips that deconstructed skirts, coats, tops and dresses at the waist, hem, sleeves and thigh-to creates slits. Added to this were bright flashes of maroon, and teal which accompanied the main colour palette of icy pastels including icy blue, mint and grey.

Lui's fabric choices also added to the dichotomy of the collection, showing woven leather swing-coats, snakeskin tops, tweed embellished with leather and woven camouflage.

The models who had strategically crimped hair-to appear untidy-and clean faces wore looks that were accessorised with ankle-strap booties and cat-eye sunglasses

#FashionScoutAW15

@floriesms

DAY 4 FASHION SCOUT IS HERE!

Fashion Scout is back for Day 4 of fashion forward thinking.

Lulu Liu, Jacob Birge & Dora Abodi continue our catwalk presentations, while today sees the opening of our renowned Emerging Designer Showcase, sponsored by Miriam's Munchies featuring this season:

Quoi Alexander
Jaesun Chung

Sadie Clayton
Lauren Smith 
Gbemi 
Dinara Nurlan 
Erwin Michalec 
Mehle 
Pentatonica
Robert Wun 

Presented by: Holly Jayne Smith

As ever our Exhibition is open, featuring the latest upcoming designers, in addition to free Body Shop manicures and of course Vita Coco, Propercorn and Snog. 

#FashionScoutAW15

Fashion Scout AW15 Welcomes back Lulu Liu!

Chinese born Lulu Liu relocated to London in 2008, and has since had work displayed at both the V&A Museum and The British Royal Ballet in addition to high profile editorials in Vogue, Elle and Cosmopolitan. The designer's graduate collection was nominated for the Future of Fashion award.

Based on the aesthetic of opulence and luxury, Liu creates unique, elegant and above all feminine garments, combining sharp silhouettes with bold colours.

With this her sixth collection showed through Fashion Scout, beginning with AW13 buyer and media acclaimed collection, we can't wait to see what Lulu Liu has in store for Fashion Scout AW15, Freemasons Hall, Covent Garden, February 20^th – 24^th.

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Paris Showroom | Spotlight on Texture

In the Fashion Scout showroom, designers are playing with textures to inject spice to classic shapes - the more playful the better. 

LULU LIU

Chinese born, London based Lulu Liu is now in her fifth season. SS15's collection features weaving, slicing and tearing of fabrics to create layers and textures. 

What is this collection about?

This collection is inspired by English vintage toys and cars. A child’s toys are a very personal thing and bring back a lot of childhood memories. The colours of vintage toys are very English and transmit the culture. I also am obsessed with graphics so my prints are inspired by original and traditional writing –the woodblock type font- as opposed to computer-processed graphics. This season I have also used a lot of lines – not necessarily straight, they can be curved and so on – to shape the silhouettes. I love how the lines can be used to create a body shape and how this changes when reacting with the environment (the wind, the street).

Where do you get your fabrics and where do you produce your collections?

I get my fabrics from Korea and the UK and I produce my clothes in China and the UK. When I use silk it is 100% silk. I want to use very good quality fabrics that are soft and flexible. I want them to be very comfortable to wear.

Do you focus more on the texture of your collection or the prints.

Both. We develop the print and the shape of the collections at the same time. I give everything equal importance; shape, cut, texture, print and so on.

GYO YUNI KIMCHOE

The amazingly talented Gyo Kim and Yuni Cho are the duo that form Gyo Yuni Kimchoe, SS15 prestigious Merit Award winners. Their debut collection is an outstanding show of cut, colour selection and playful textures. 

What is the story of this collection?

The statement of this collection is anti-war. Right now there are too many conflicts and wars in the world. We use a gardener as a metaphor of army soldiers. So the gardener will kill and remove the weeds like the soldiers will kill their enemies. However, our gardener will plant, grow and protect the weeds and our soldier will protect their enemy. This is why the collection is called “Weed, Gardener, Corps”. We have given military gears a twist with gardener looks.

Is the texture of your garments an important factor for your collections?

Yes, we give more emphasis on texture, silhouette and cut rather than prints.

Who do you design for?

Someone who has a very unique personality and who cares about the world.

If you could describe your brand in 3 words which ones would you use?

Sustainability (an eco-friendly new fashion but from a different perspective; care about the world’s social issues), Quirky and Fun 

The designers collections will be on display today and tomorrow in the Fashion Scout Paris Showroom, 23 Rue Du Roi De Sicile, 75004. Opening Hours: Monday 10.00 - 19.00, Tuesday 10.00 - 17.00. 

COLLECTION| Lulu Liu SS15

Crediting Alexander McQueen as her fashion idol, one of the most anticipated designers at Fashion Scout, without doubt, is Lulu Liu. The LCF graduate has been consistently impressing the industry since her 2011 graduation, having received press attention from Vogue, Cosmopolitan and ELLE. 

Known for garments that mirror her Chinese heritage in use of colour, fur and signature pleats, tonight Liu sent models down the runway to a chorus of "All the ducks are swimming in the water" in a show that steered things in an unexpected direction. 

Entitled 'The Emotional Path', Liu's intention for SS15 was to channel youth, innocence and childhood - no doubt the result of her recent embark into motherhood. 

This evening, denim blue and serene white were the signatures of the show representing the influence her young son has had on her, as well as the purity of our early years.

Bows adorned dresses in a variety of sizes, and childhood prints were also a fundamental feature as dresses and skirts were emblazoned with toy cars and the alphabet. 

This season Liu stepped away from Chinese inspiration, though pillar box red made a fleeting comeback. Frayed hems and ruffles contrasted against corset detailing, tight skirts and nipped in waists, and represented the joyful and carefree times children spend playing before being beckoned to adulthood.

Liu's aesthetic, combined with slicked back hair on models, demonstrated a bold look for women seeking luxury. With childhood undertones clearly apparent in her work, Liu carefully considered the adult palette, and taste, which brought two worlds together here in London tonight.

"The Emotional Path" was Liu's eighth feature with Fashion Scout, in which she introduced a new level of sophistication, fusing elegance and opulence to deliver her take on the SS15 woman. 

By Clarissa Waldron, (@thisisclarissa).

Photographs by Elizabeth Hodson.

BACKSTAGE| Lulu Liu SS15

Ahead of this afternoon's Lulu Liu catwalk, Fashion Scout caught up with Toni&Guy’s Chie Sato to talk about what inspired the styles that are going to be walking down the runway alongside Lulu’s creations.

The garments shown by the designer this year feature a number of contrasting lines creating a pleated effect with a lot of texture. The hair to accompany this look is no different. Small strands of hair were pulled up in the front of the style forming soft, cat-ear like arches separated by a large strand of flat hair. The rest of the style is composed by a ponytail tied with a criss-crossed piece of fabric, all of which creates an illusion of lines and maintains the theme proposed by the designer.

Whilst still keeping the style wearable and feminine, the stylist also highlights a play in the texture, using Label M. Hold & Gloss spray and Label M.Texturising Volume Spray to give the style its finishing touch. “The middle bit and the back are going to be very wet, the sides are going to be dry,” explains Chie. “So it’s a very different juxtaposition of the textures against each other, which reflects what the designer is using.”

When asked about Toni&Guy’s continuing support of emerging designers and their participation with Fashion Scout, Chie highlights the brand's deep connection with forward fashion. “London is very special for us. When you go to New York or Milan, it is composed by big designers that are already established and look the way they look," he says. “Whilst London is still avant-Garde, still free when creating the clothes, so we can work the same way with the hair. There is a lot of freedom and inspiration.”

By Biju Belinky, (@bijubelinky).

Photos by Tram Nguyen (@tramnguyenp).

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT SS15| LULU LIU

Working under Alexander McQueen and Giles Deacon, exhibiting in the V&A and being featured in Vogue, Elle and Cosmopolitan are only a number of achievements LULU LIU has had since moving to London in 2008 to study at the London College of Fashion.

Devoted to using the most luxurious fabrics, including the ancient Xiangyunsha silk associated with the Asian Royal society's elite, Liu brings a unique perspective to elegant design. Contrasting light and dark, pastel and bright colours, the sharp with the oversized, it's these elements of design that come together to create her signature trait.

For her AW14 collection, "opening sounds of moody storms set the atmosphere for this eclectic show. Inspired by the last Empress of China, Cixi, Liu’s collection embodied the regal spirit of one of China’s most influential women. Strong, powerful, feminine and fashionable, Cixi personifies the woman Liu has in mind with her creations. Embracing the rich history of her homeland, Lulu incorporated the Chinese royal colours of gold, blue, green and red to her designs." (Lia Stokes, Fashion Scout AW14 Contributor).

Scheduled to hit the catwalk at 19:00 on Saturday 13th September, be sure to check back to the blog throughout Fashion Week, as well as follow our Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for the catwalk report and other updates as they happen.

By Josh Walker, Editor, (@josh_walker) and Lia Stokes, (@LiaStokes), Contributor.

Images, courtesy of LULU LIU